Archive for August, 2013

Below is a letter from the Fulton County Arts Council that talent and industry professionals may find interesting. Please feel free to share.

As you may have recently read in last Sunday’s AJC, Fulton County is in a dire financial situation, looking at a possible $115m deficit. I am reaching out to you to make you aware that as a part of a proposed resolution to this deficit, the current Interim County Manager has proposed a 100% cut to the Department of Arts and Culture. Long story short…We need your help! As someone who is either in the arts or has a strong appreciation for what art and culture means for this community, our Fulton County Commissioners MUST hear from you!

Over the past five years our budget has been cut an average of 14-20% annually, and since 2001 has been cut over one million dollars. Though these were difficult for the Arts in Fulton County, the cuts were proportionately aligned with all other departments within the County budget. At this juncture, however, a100% cut to the Department ofArts and Culture is in the County Manager’s top three recommendations!

Our plea to you, as someone who is connected to arts and culture in this community, is for you, your staff, board, attendees and friends to IMMEDIATELY let your Commissioner know of their concern. To let our voices be heard, we ask everyone who wants this to continue to be a healthy cultural community to do one or all of the following:

1) Call your Commissioner and simply state that you are very concerned and not in favor of there being any cuts in the Dept. of Arts and Culture;

Note: Phone numbers are below

2) Send an email to your Commissioner stating that art and culture is an important part of the quality of life for those of us who live, work and play in Fulton County and that you urge them not to support the County Manager’s recommendation to cut the budget for the Dept. of Artsand Culture;

3) Attend the Board of Commissioners meeting(Wednesday, August 21st at 10:00AM) where this issue will be discussed and voice your concern during the public comment section. The meeting will be held at the Fulton County Govt. Complex, 141 Pryor Street, Atlanta, Georgia. At this called meeting, they are scheduled to introduce the recent recommendations to the full Board. Your presence is critical and extremely necessary to ensure we maintain a healthy Arts environment throughout Fulton County.

Note: If you are an arts organization, please be prepared to share the impact of your organization (i.e. number of employees, number of attendees…especially if you can break those numbers down to number of seniors, youth/children, etc.)

We are encouraging all in attendance to wear green so our presence can be easily recognized by the BOC.

The Department of Arts and Culture, as well as the Fulton County Arts Council thanks you in advance. This will be our only chance to communicate to the Commissioners the importance of Arts and Culture in our surrounding communities.

Our thanks, in advance, for all you have and will continue to contribute to Arts and Culture. Please ACTTODAY to help stop this action by the Commission and allow Fulton County’s quality of life for families, children, seniors and artists remain alive and vibrant!

2. This is like no other improv class you can take in the city of Atlanta. Instructor Ian Covell blends his 18 years of experience in both improvisation and the Sanford Meisner Acting Technique and focuses on how the richest laughs in a scene are discovered, not manufactured.

3. This class is a mixed-skill levels class. Think about it more like a fitness class and you’ll have people from different levels of fitness working out with you! You’ll have opportunities to be inspired by and to be inspirational towards your fellow students. Max capacity is 10 students and spaces fill up fast.

4. This class is about bringing YOU, the actor, fully present and aware to every scene, every moment, every time.

5. Improvisers don’t have to learn any lines, but you do have to be a good storyteller. Improv can make you a better actor and writer! Trust me, you already know more about this than you think you do!

6. You will work hard in this class, but you’ll also have FUN and experience great rewards. Improv is a process that will make you a better at your career, your art, or just being human!

7. Every 8-week class ends with a graduation show in front of a live audience!

At Improv School of Atlanta, we’re serious about comedy! Email: improvschoolatl@gmail.com to register for classes or ask questions.

*** We think spam is best left in a can! You are receiving this email because you requested information about the Improv School of Atlanta. Simply reply “Leave Me Alone!!!” to this email and you will be removed from future mailings until the end of time…or at least the end of the internet.***

Be sure to check out The Miracle Worker, directed by Houghton’s own Michael Cole and starring Houghton actors Tasia Grant as “Annie Sullivan”, Rose Bianco as “Mrs. Kate Keller” and Steven Reddington as “James Keller”, among other talented actors such as Bill Symanski as “Captain Keller” and introducing Charlotte Lyda as “Helen Keller”. The show runs for 3 weekends, from August 17th – September 1st. Tickets can be purchased at www.trp-atl.com.

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yourACT Acting Studios Atlanta

“Without wonder and insight, acting is just a trade. With it, it becomes creation.”

Bette Davis

Ongoing Classes

On-Camera & Voice-Over

MONDAYS – Film/TV Audition

Taught by Bob Harter with Julie Still & B. Todd Johnston

Strengthen your skills and explore your creativity with other experienced actors. Film and TV has definitely come to Georgia! This means our audition skills have to be sharp and ready to go for those last minute castings. Cold reading is a skill every actor should have. In this class, we’ll work on different styles of reads each night, so whether it’s dramatic or comedic–episodic, sitcom or feature film, you can go in the room with confidence. Don’t fear that last minute script. Have fun and enjoy your audition.

This Intensive course is designed for trained actors who have some audition experience.

As professional actors, we often audition and work on projects that don’t necessarily challenge the full spectrum of our talents. You may be comfortable with industrials, commercials, and voice-over but fall apart when you audition for a film. With the increase of film and television coming to Georgia, now more than ever, Atlanta talent needs to be ready for Hollywood auditions.

In this Intensive, using the “Haber Audition Technique”, actors work with film and television scripts, learning how to nail the audition in a limited amount of time. The focus is on the nuts and bolts of breaking down a scene, including relationship, intention, history, opening and closing beats, core and masking. Using the skills you learn will greatly improve your audition skills. This valuable cold-reading technique works.

A playful experiential workshop designed by and presented by US based hypnotist Leigh Ann Ledbetter and Australian hypnotist and Master NLP practitioner and trainer Tony Kyprios that includes hypnosis and neuro linguistic programming (NLP) specifically tailored for actors.

Experience a new slant on techniques and tools that are designed to empower and shift personal limitations while expanding possibilities and potential. This is a fantastic opportunity to learn about creating desired outcomes in an intimate small group setting.

You’ve heard him as The Reverend on Cartoon Network’s “Squidbillies” and he’s voiced hundreds of commercials. You’ve seen him on stage and screen.

Now the talented Scott Hilley needs your help. He’s been recovering from a stroke he had last year and has been having additional medical issues. Well, the bills are mounting up. We’d like to give him a hand – more than mere applause. We need to help Scott regain his health and vibrancy.

Your generosity will allow him to do just that. Let’s get Scott back on track, so he can continue to entertain us with Bugs, Yosemite Sam, and Porky, and make us all laugh our derrieres off.

Sunday, August 18

2:00 pm Sketchworks Comedy Theatre

This star-studded party features Laughing Matters and Dan Thurmon. The many special guests include Gwen Hughes, Rob Cleveland, Melanie Frady, Barry Stoltze & Scott Hilley!

We have a yourACT Group and a yourACT Page on Facebook. You can also follow us on Twitter. And for more frequent communication including castings, headshot specials, and more you can subscribe to our blog.